Never Walk Away
by Flexis
Summary: A very ill and slightly delusional Scully is taken care of by Mulder.


"My, my, my…what do we have here? Agent Scully…_sleeping_ on the job?!"

Scully grunted as she looked up to see Mulder stroll into their basement office. A small smile twitched at his lips as he walked over to her desk to plop a small paper bag in front of her face. She laid her head back on her arm, without a glance at the bag.

"Mulder, do you remember how you felt when you woke up in the hospital after the ghost ship…well I think I feel your pain."

"Well then I feel for ya Scully, I do. What hurts?" Mulder asked while taking a healthy bite out of his danish from the paper bag. She shrugged and sniffled a bit. Mulder put down his danish and walked over to her and sat on her desk.

"I have some Advil in my desk if that will help any" Mulder offered hopefully.

"I know…you might want to buy some more" she replied softly. Mulder chuckled and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You should go home. There is nothing to do here but stare at each other, and God knows there are better people to stare at than me" Mulder said.

Without hesitation Scully stood up quickly. Mulder grabbed her arm as she swayed towards the door.

"Whoa..easy there. I'll drive you home" Mulder stated, with a hint of worry in his voice.

The drive to her apartment was quiet. The only sounds were the heavy rain pelting the windshield and Scully's occasional moan of discomfort.

"Damn, I can barely see a thing through all this rain. Do you have an umbrella in here?" Mulder asked, with a glance at her.

"No" she replied, sinking lower in her seat.

He got out of the car and hurried over to her door and opened it. She slowly stepped out and Mulder opened his coat jacket and engulfed her in it. She snuggled close to him, savoring the warmth against the harsh cold rain. They walked hurriedly to her apartment and when they got inside Scully was reluctant to step out of Mulder's warmth. She fumbled with her keys and unlocked the door. She pushed the door open and stumbled to the couch and laid down with a huff. Mulder walked in and hung his drenched coat on the coat rack in the living room and walked to the kitchen.

"Scully, I'm going to get you some medicine. What do you want to take?" Mulder called from the kitchen.

"I think I just have a cold, could you just find some cold medicine?" Scully called in a strained voice. She shivered under the damp clothes and her vision blurred as she tried to maneuver out of her jacket. _Wonderful, I'm getting the flu. I can't even see straight_, she thought. Mulder walked back in with the medicine and a glass of water. He watched her pop the medicine in her mouth with shaky hands and take a gulp of water. She handed him the glass and looked groggily into his eyes . He studied her face, trying to decide if he was needed anymore. Her nose was red and her eyes glazed over with a pitiful look playing in them.

"Mulder, I'm a bit dizzy. So…so cold" her teeth chattered as her eyes closed.

"You need to get out of those wet clothes, here, I'll help you to your room" he offered his arm to her and she latched onto him as he steered her to her room. She was incredibly dizzy when they reached her room and she let go of Mulder and sprawled out on her bed, with a moan and groan. Mulder sighed and pulled her shoes off and tossed them on the floor.

"Where are your pajamas?" he asked. She pointed towards the dresser. _That helps_, he thought. He rummaged through her drawers, trying not to pay too much attention to her very sensual, very Scully-like undergarments. He picked out some grey soft cottony pants, a white t-shirt, and a pair of socks. When he walked back over to her, she had still not taken anything else off.

"Er…do you need me to help you?" he asked uncertainly.

"Sorry Mulder, I really can't even move" she whined. He had to hold back a laugh at her un Scully-like demeanor. He clenched his jaw when he realized he was going to have to unclothe her. He decided to go for the skirt first. He reached behind the small of her back to untuck her shirt from her skirt. She barely moved to help him out. He then unzipped the back of her skirt. _Geez, you just aren't making this easy for me are you?_. He tugged the skirt off of her and tossed it next to her shoes.

"Mulder, sorry..so..so..tired" She murmured.

"No problem, just want you to get better so I can have you back at my side giving me a hard time again" he replied, the attempt at a joke falling flat when he noticed that her panties were his favorite. Red silk. _Oh Lord_. His hands shaking slightly, he placed them on her hips and scooted her a littler further towards the edge of the bed so he could get the panty hose off without ripping them to shreds. He slowly peeled them off, her cool skin stinging his finger tips. He added them to the growing pile on her floor.

"Lift your legs" he told her as he got the grey pants off the floor. She grunted and lifted them barely off the ground. Mulder sighed and pulled them up her legs.

"Ok, you can put them down", he said softly. She put her hand on her head and mumbled something about fever and flu. He removed her hand from her head and replaced it with his own. She was burning up.

"Scully, you feel really warm, where's the thermometer?" he asked. She wearily pointed to the ceiling. _I'll take that as it's in the bathroom_. He walked to the bathroom and looked in the cabinet and grabbed the thermometer.

"Open wide" he said and he stuck the thermometer under her tongue. _If you took away the sick part, this would be one helluva night_. He continued to work on her clothes as she heated up the thermometer. He un buttoned her shirt and opened it up to display her chest.

"You might have to sit up for this one Scully" he told her. She slowly sat up with his help and shrugged off the shirt. She looked into his eyes and he saw a hint of apology. He smiled and touched her cheek to let her know his only concern was to get her to feeling better. He reached around her to unclasp the bra and turned around to get her shirt. He turned back around and her bra was off and her hand laid over her breasts, barely concealing her nipples. He handed her the shirt just as the thermometer beeped and she handed it to him. _102.3..not awful but not great either_.

"102.3, you, my friend, are a sick girl." he murmured in her ear as he helped her pull the shirt over her head, his hands brushing the sides of her breasts. She nodded and laid back down on the bed.

"Mulder, stay" she whispered. He wasn't sure if he heard her right and he laid on the bed beside her to get closer to her voice.

"I can stay if you need me to, I can fix you some tea or soup." he offered. She turned her face to him and smiled a weak smile. Then her face contorted and she let out a huge squeak that he guessed was a sneeze. She sneezed three of four more times and looked apologetically at Mulder.

"Say it, don't spray it Scully" Mulder joked, wiping his face.

"I'm sbo sborry Mulber"

"Ah, only for you Scully, only for you" He got up and went into the kitchen to start the tea. He heard her call his name and he walked back into the room to find her snuggled under her covers. She patted the spot beside her, indicating that she wanted him to sit beside her. He obeyed and waited for her to say something.

"When I wbas sick as a kid Mbellisa would always sleeb in the bed with mbe."

That fever has made her absolutely delirious. Mulder shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to say to that. She continued:

"Sbhe would tell mbe a secret because sbhe knew how much I lobed to hear secrets but I would always have to tell one too" She looked at him with lazy eyes, her eyebrow in an arch.

"When Samantha was sick I would sneak her some of mom's secret candy stash. I would of course never expose the hiding spot for her though." That earned him a smile from her and his shoulders relaxed. He handed her a tissue and she blew her nose gratefully.

"Will you sleep with me Mulder?" she asked. His eyes widened and his shoulders went back to their previous position. She must have realized what she had said, her original Scully persona breaking through the ill-induced delirium, because her eyes too went wide.

"That came out wrong Mulder. That was so wrong…unprofessional…Sorr--"

Mulder cut her off with a finger to her lip.

"I know what you meant, I will sleep in here if that is what you want. I wont mind at all." _I hope that medicine doesn't kick in and my ass end up on the floor in the middle of the night_.

"Thank you" she whispered, and she closed her eyes and let out a small exhale of air. He got back up and fixed her tea. He set it next to her and she took a small sip. She watched him take off his tie and unbutton his shirt. He felt her eyes on him and he locked eyes with her as he shed off his shirt, revealing his bare chest. She looked away and continued to sip on her tea. He took off his pants and peeled away his damp socks and then slid into the warm covers next to her and stared up at the ceiling, hoping the twinges of awkwardness would pass.

"Mulder, you have to tell me a secret now" she said as she put the tea on the night table and laid her head on the pillow, facing him. He turned his head and smiled at her.

"I was hoping you would forget that part." he replied, propping up his head with his hand. She smiled and shook her head no. _This is so unlike her, I don't know if I should be frightened or not._

"Well ok, but that means I get a juicy secret in return" he said. She smiled in agreement.

"Mulder, there is another rule"

"What's that?"

"I get to ask you a question about the secret"

"Ok..well, that's not too scary I guess. My secret huh? I am a many of many secrets but I guess I can share this one with you…"

"It has to be a good one, not something I would have guessed" she interrupted.

"I haven't had sex in a year" he blurted out.

"So that means last year, you had sex with someone. Who would that someone be Mulder?" she asked, her lips forming into a small pout. _I can't take it when she does that_.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked, fearing the worst and hoping for the best. She stared into his eyes and they connected for a moment. She saw his fear and he saw her pain.

"yes" she whispered.

"Diana" he said. As the name pierced the quiet room he stiffened waiting for her reaction.

"I knew"

"I know"

They sat in silence for a few minutes until her voice breathed near his ear.

"I guess it's my turn" she said.

"Yeah" he replied.

"When Melissa died, it hurt a lot. I blamed myself. When Emily died, it hurt even worse. I blamed Them. When Diana stepped into our lives, it was the worst pain ever. I blamed you."

Mulder wasn't expecting something so personally attached to himself and he laid in silence, unable to meet her eyes. _How could that have hurt her so deeply…why?_

She continued:

"Then she betrayed you and I was happy. Then I was ashamed for hurting over it and finding happiness in something that hurt you"

Mulder wasn't sure what to think or what to say to her so he hoped she would go on. She didn't.

"So, I get to ask a question about the secret now?" he asked.

"Yes"

"How could you have hurt more over me and a woman more than the loss of your own flesh and blood?" He looked into her eyes, surprised at the serious look on her face. _The fever must be breaking, she's looking like herself again_. She moved a little further away from him and brought her knees closer to her body as if protecting something. They were once again consumed by silence.

Finally she spoke:

"Melissa loved me no matter what and I know I'll see her again one day. Emily wasn't meant to be, but she'll always be in my heart unconditionally. You…you are my world, whether that was my choice or not. I went through so much for you because I thought that in the end, our bond was unconditional too. Diana came and I felt replaced. I saw someone who was like you, who you used to hold close to your heart in a way you never held me. I felt as though I would lose you forever and you are all I have left" tears were streaming down her face.

Mulder felt his heart slowly break and he crossed the invisible barrier they always kept up and he pulled her tiny body against his own. She let the tears turn to sobs and he stroked her hair and tried to hold in his own tears.Her wet tears stung his bare chest and he pushed her away gently so that he could cup her chin with his hand. Her eyes were the brilliant blue that only shone through tears and her lips were slightly swollen.

"You are my world, Scully. Diana was a mistake. She meant something to me long ago but I would never trade what we have grown to be and what we have gone through together for anything with her or anybody else for that matter. We don't talk much about us because there are no words for what we have. I don't think anyone could figure us out anyway, I even have a hard time trying to. I guess I just assumed you knew what I knew about us."

"I guess we see things differently" she muttered.

"No, I think we purposefully don't cross certain lines for the same reasons"

"And what reasons would they be?"

"The word love leads to things we can't handle Scully"

"Who used the word love?"

"Nobody"

"Exactly" she rolled over with a sigh. Mulder rolled her back over and leaned over her, his face inches from hers.

"I will love you til the day I die and don't you ever think otherwise" he then returned to his side of the bed and turned his back to her. He felt the bed shift and heard the clink of the lamp before the darkness engulfed the room. He felt the bed shake a little as she shifted around . He heard her sniffle and knew she must be crying again, or it was just her runny nose. _Why did I use the L word?_ His heart was clenched as he tried to make sense of what had just happened and how it was going to affect them in the morning. Her voice broke his thoughts.

"And I will love you til the day you walk away from me"

"That will never happen"

"I wish I knew that for sure" she murmured.

All reality slipped from Mulder as if he too were suffering from delirium and he pulled her to him again. This time he took the time to really look at her. His eyes passed over the damp tendrils of flame red hair that were curling slightly at the ends. He looked at the way her forehead creased from worry. He gazed into the eyes that he had grown to know and understand so well. He trailed down her sharp nose to rest on her pouty lips. Those perfect lips that such wonderful words of loyalty have come out of. He looked at her trembling chin and then his eyes gravitated to her eyes again.

"You are so beautiful" he whispered. Her eyes wavered and she licked her lips.

He placed a hand on her neck and his thumb ran small circles in the soft tuft hair. Her leg slid slowly to make contact with his own and he trapped it in between his legs. She moved a little closer to him, never losing contact with his eyes. Her hand snaked up his chest, starting at the small line of hair below his belly button up to his neck. When it reached the nape of his neck, it was her that pulled his face towards her own. He hesitated a moment as their lips were almost touching. He could feel her breath caress his lips and their noses resting against each other. The electricity was overwhelming and he wasn't sure if he wanted to continue because the moment was perfect, unreal. She waited patiently, her lower lip tickling his upper lip. Her eyes fluttered closed and she pressed her lower body into him, never letting her lips fully make contact with his lips. The contact sent a jolt through Mulder's middle and he allowed his lips to sink into hers.

It was like no kiss before. Thoughts of their past flashed through him as he embellished the soft warmth her lips provided him with. She had to fight to keep her lips from savagely exploring his. He wouldn't let her go any faster. He meant to savor every moment. The kiss deepened and her mouth opened slightly further, allowing their tongues to caress one another. Her taste was amazing. His taste was tantalizing.

His arms circled around her as the kiss broke. He couldn't look into her eyes for the fear of an overload of emotions. Scully nestled her head under his chin and breathed in deeply. _This has got to be a dream…She has got to be delirious. We never cross these lines. She never lets down her barrier._

He felt her body relax after a few minutes and waited until her breath fell into steady heaviness before he rolled her onto her side of the bed. He kissed her forehead and laid closely to her. He knew he probably caught whatever illness she had but he didn't care if it was the worst illness possible, he'd do it a million times to relive their moment.

Heh…our moment.

End!


End file.
